1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic or printer cartridge and a method of using the cartridge. The invention also relates to the conservation of inks and ink materials and the reduction of wasted ink material.
2. Background of the Art
Conventional electrophotographic image forming processes typically include electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, LED printer, laser beam printer, and the like), an electrophotographic facsimile, an electrophotographic word processor, which may use liquid inks, toners, developers, or solid powder toner and the like. In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge system has long been employed. According to this system, an electrophotographic photoconductive member, and a single or plurality of processing means, which act on the electrophotographic photoconductive member, are integrated into a form of a cartridge removably mountable in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. This system enables a user to maintain the apparatus without relying on a service person, immensely improving the operability of the apparatus. Thus, the process cartridge system has been widely used in the field of an image forming apparatus.
The electrophotographic cartridge assists in forming an image on recording medium with the use of dry or wet developer (ink, toner or developer are common names for the included material) contained therein. The amount of the developer in the cartridge is gradually depleted with image formation, eventually providing a level of developer below which the printer fails to form an image satisfactory in quality to the user who purchased the cartridge. At this point, the process cartridge loses its commercial value.
It has often been observed that there is significant material wastage on cartridge use, which has led to strict regulations on the disposal of cartridges. Additionally, the cost of using and disposing of cartridges/image effectively increases when material remains unused in the cartridge due to the highly regulated nature of the unused development material.
There are many different formats for cartridges in the industry. Most printers have unique designs to motivate users to purchase cartridges specific for their machines. Among the many designs is the one shown in Published U.S. patent application No. 20030231906 which rotates the cartridge within the printer to deliver developer to the charged image surface.
Published U.S. patent application No. 20030156170 describes an imaging media cartridge for use in an imaging apparatus that includes a first imaging media reservoir chamber and a second imaging media reservoir chamber. A removable barrier is disposed between the first imaging media reservoir chamber and the second imaging media reservoir chamber. By removing the removable barrier, a reserve of imaging media can be provided from the second imaging media reservoir chamber to the first imaging media reservoir chamber. In one embodiment the imaging media cartridge is a toner cartridge. In another embodiment the imaging media cartridge is a liquid ink cartridge.
Published U.S. patent application No. 20030170046 describes a developing device that includes a holding chamber for holding developing agent, a port for accessing the holding chamber from outside the developing device, and a developing agent bearing member that bears developing agent from the holding chamber. After the developing device has been used until the holding chamber has run out of developing agent, the used developing device is refilled with developing agent. The port is opened to access the holding chamber. The type of previously-used developing agent that remains in the holding chamber from the preceding developing operation usage is determined. The previously-used developing agent is removed to an amount of 1.2 g or less per centimeter of the axial length of the developing agent bearing member. Then, a type of developing agent that has a lower fluidity characteristic, a lower melting characteristic, or both, than the previously-used developing agent is determined. Then, the holding chamber is refilled with the designated type of developing agent. Afterward, the port is closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,164 describes a refill cartridge for a wet electrophotographic printer. The refill cartridge, for supplying ink to an ink cartridge fixed in a printer main body having a hollow area therein, includes: a case having an air hole and an ink supply hole, for detachable installation in the hollow area; a disk slidably mounted within the case; a spring for elastically biasing the disk toward the ink supply hole; and an ink supply hole plug capable of opening and closing the ink supply hole. In this case and similar cases, the toner is supplied to the development cartridge from a hose connected to a supply tank; the developer is usually moved via gravity or (more commonly) by the use of a pump). Once the developer is in the developer cartridge, it must either remain there until it is used, or another pump must be used to transport the developer back to the storage tank.